


Prayers, wishes, desires

by LittleLinor



Category: Cardfight!! Vanguard
Genre: Chrono visibly keysmashing and Ibuki internally keysmashing as usual, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 10:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17262677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleLinor/pseuds/LittleLinor
Summary: For the first time, Chrono gets to make his first shrine visit of the year with the two people he considers his family.





	Prayers, wishes, desires

**Author's Note:**

> Some cute and positive vibes for the New Year <3 may your year be full of friendship, love and growth too!

Chrono's first prayer of the year is one of protection, and one of growth.  
It's cold out, and still a little foggy, and if not for the crowd, the shrine shrouded in white would have felt like something out of a fairy tale. Even with it, a lingering magic remains, in the tingle of the cold air against his face, its crispness in his lungs, and the warmth of the two other bodies next to his.  
This, at least is a new beginning. The three of them visiting this shrine together feels like they're actually becoming a family, a feeling he never would have thought he'd experience just a few short years ago—and definitely not with Kouji Ibuki, the year they met. But now, it feels like the new year is finally writing this reality into the records of what _is_ , giving it weight and a sense of officialness. This new year, they will be together. It's going to the shrine together on the cold and foggy morning of the first day of the year; it's the traditional meal Chrono prepared that's waiting for all of them back at home; it's Ibuki and Mikuru quietly chatting as they exit the shrine, talking to each other without Chrono as a catalyst.  
“I have to admit, Ibuki,” Mikuru says as the crowd starts to thin a little, settling into a more comfortable walking pace for the trip home, “I didn't expect you to own such a beautiful kimono.”  
“My parents were very focused on tradition and appearances,” he explains neutrally, and both of them know not to push on that topic. “I hadn't worn it in years… but this seemed like an appropriate occasion.”  
“You look very dignified in it,” Mikuru says brightly, and Ibuki answers her with a little hum of acknowledgement.  
Chrono, if he's completely honest, wouldn't have chosen 'dignified'. He's not usually one to focus on looks, but the contrast of dark colours against Ibuki's pale skin and hair is breathtaking, and the way the fabric hangs on and frames his body makes him look both elegant, earthly and ethereal. He's _beautiful_ , in the purest sense, and Chrono feels both blessed and painfully underdressed next to him.  
He fidgets with the buttons of his coat. Despite his lack of a proper growth spurt, he's had to leave his old blue one behind this year (sadly, because it had been a favourite of his, the soft touch of colour a welcome light in dark, grey winter days) for a slate grey one, more elegant perhaps (and thankfully less tight around the shoulders), but colder in atmosphere.  
The scarf, however, is a present, from Ibuki himself this year, and he can't help but notice that it's the same shade as Ibuki's own, even if he's not wearing it today. 'It'll go with your hair,' Ibuki had said, with a hint of a blush that Chrono was good at spotting, and Chrono had thanked him with a kiss.  
Well, he can't kiss him now, no matter how much he'd want to. Neither of them is too high on public displays, and while they also don't care overly much about strangers, Mikuru ironically sets the bar higher. Strangers wouldn't spare them more than a glance. Mikuru would have to deal with sharing space with a kissing couple, and that's Very Different. The combination of both, of course, makes it unthinkable.  
Instead, he goes back to sometimes casting side glances at him, and wondering why he seems to have taken the opposite path from most people and only discovered that his boyfriend was attractive _after_ starting to date him, and long after falling in love with him.  
It's not that he minds, exactly, but he didn't expect it, and also it brings new potential shades to their relationship that he's not sure Ibuki signed for.  
They will have to talk about it. Eventually. Right now, he just wants to enjoy his day, and the warmth of his family at his side, so he pushes the thoughts aside and walks with them, wishing the streets were smaller so they could walk a little closer together.

When they get home, there's still time before lunch, and thus all three decide to sit down with some well needed hot coffee. The tv's running with some new year's show, but its volume has been lowered almost to a murmur, and they've barely started actually drinking when Mikuru's phone rings.  
“Today? This had better be serious,” she mumbles, standing and reaching for it, only to brighten as she sees the caller ID. “I'll be a moment,” she tells them, then picks up the phone with a “Hello? Rio, how are you doing? It's been ages—Happy New Year to you too,” and disappears into the corridor and then her room.  
Chrono and Ibuki stay alone in the living room. The sun is properly out by now, chasing the fog from the streets and streaming gently into the room, and between the light and the smell of coffee, it feels like waking up properly, like slowly walking out of a dream, or a moment of magic, suspended in time.  
Ibuki rubs his hands against the warm mug, and brings it close to his face, the steam rising to his skin. He inhales lightly and Chrono smiles.  
“I _thought_ it was a bit cold for a kimono.”  
“I'd already made plans to wear it,” Ibuki explains, and Chrono doesn't need more. Ibuki dislikes changing plans, unless there's strong circumstances, and a few degrees underneath what he'd planned definitely didn't count as that.  
“You look good in it,” he blurts out, and immediately catches himself, but before he can backpedal, a slight smile spreads on Ibuki's lips.  
“Then keeping it wasn't a complete waste.”  
He's blushing and he _knows_ he is, despite Ibuki being the one who got complimented. Somehow, it ends up like this much too often. Despite knowing that it's just Ibuki's way of expressing his emotions being understated rather than him being unaffected, it still feels extremely unfair.  
One day, he'll learn to actually be smooth.   
What catches his attention, though, is that Ibuki _isn't_ uncomfortable with the compliment, and that's surprising enough that he wants to hang on to it. To see where it could all lead.  
“A shame you don't have occasions to wear it often, huh?”  
“It's tedious to put on properly,” Ibuki simply answers, but then it's him who averts his eyes and blushes slightly. “… but if you like it, I can wear it next time the occasion calls for it.”  
“I—only if you want to,” he almost stammers. “… but I do like it,” he adds, and because apparently he's starting his new year by being a fool with no filters, he adds, “you could put your hair up, too.”  
That seems to take Ibuki by surprise. His eyes widen slightly, his eyebrows moving up; Chrono tries not to fidget.  
“… I thought it'd look good, is all.”  
Ibuki's face softens, warm, and Chrono's breath comes a little short.  
“Mm-mm,” Ibuki hums.  
And then he stands.  
“A-are you all right?”  
“Yes. Give me a moment.”  
Despite his urge to run to him and check that he's okay, Chrono stays on his chair. Ibuki, meanwhile, walks to the door, and instead of going out (to Chrono's relief), rummages through his coat. And then (not to Chrono's relief) comes back with his hands up at the back of his head, most of his hair pulled up in them, twisting a plain hairtie around the base of a ponytail.  
When he lets his arms drop, the movement pulls at the edges of the kimono's collar area and bares his neck a little, and Chrono's already struggling breath gives up on working altogether.  
Ibuki, completely undisturbed, just goes back to sit on his chair, and sips at his coffee while Chrono's brain tries to reboot.  
Of course, this is the moment Mikuru picks to return.  
“I'm sorry for the interruption, this former classmate called me and—oh, Ibuki, you changed your hair.”  
“I did.”  
She comes back to sit with them, and sits next to a still-frozen Chrono, reclaiming her mug of coffee.  
“It's a good style on you,” she says brightly, and if Chrono had been a little more like Tokoha (and also not frozen in place), he might have kicked her under the table. Instead, he tries to breathe.  
Ibuki smiles.  
“So I've been told.”  
Mikuru's smile widens.  
“I see.”  
Chrono, eloquently, brings up his mug and drinks half of it in one go. Maybe the caffeine will wake him up.  
(And maybe he'll have to show Ibuki exactly how much he likes that hairstyle later)

**Author's Note:**

> And by "show him how much he likes his hairstyle" he means "kiss him and maybe trail his fingers there if he's feeling bold" because he hasn't quite come to terms to that side of the Demi Feels yet (save him)


End file.
